Weather across the nation: 2/3/13

More scattered snow showers will spread across the Great Lakes and Northeast as another system moves in from the Northern Plains on Sunday.

As one trough of low pressure exits the Northeast, snow showers across the Appalachians and Eastern states will taper off. However, another system quickly moves in behind it, bringing more snow into the region. Snow showers will be much lighter than on Saturday, with the exception of downwind shores of the Great Lakes.

Expect light snow showers to spread from the Midwest through the Ohio River Valley. Temperatures will continue to gradually rise for the Eastern states as this trough of low pressure pulls in warmer air from the South. Expect the Tennessee Valley to return to the lower 50s, while the Mid-Atlantic states will see highs returning to the lower 40s.

Meanwhile in the West, a trough of low pressure just offshore of southern California will continue pushing moisture over the Desert Southwest. This will bring a chance of showers to far southern California and most of Arizona throughout the day. Cooler temperatures will also accompany this system.

Expect rain to turn to snow showers once this system reaches higher elevations of the Southern Rockies by Sunday afternoon. Snowfall accumulation will be light from northern Arizona through northern New Mexico and southwestern Colorado. Elsewhere, high pressure over the rest of the West will maintain dry, sunny, and seasonable conditions on Sunday.

It was cold in the Midwest on this date in 1996. On that day, Iowa tied its lowest ever temperature when Elkader recorded a low of -47 degrees. Elizabeth, IL also tied a state low when it recorded -35 degrees. Also on this date, Des Moines set its all time record for consecutive hours below zero (132 hours).